Answered by Aslan 7 years ago 9/23/2014 2:32 PM When Melinda learns that Andy is dating Rachel, she knows she must speak out before a similar thing happens to Rachel. Melinda eventually tells Rachel in the library that Andy had raped her.
What major incident happened to Melinda in speak?
In Speak, Melinda was raped by Andy Evans during an end-of-the-summer party before her freshman year. In a panic, she called the police, and the officers broke up the party and arrested some students.
How does Melinda find her voice in speak?
Similarly, you may ask, how does Melinda find her voice in speak? By developing a friendship with Ivy and beginning to sketch various trees, Melinda gradually begins to find her voice and gain confidence. Another example of Melinda finding her voice is her decision to protest giving speeches in class, which is a bold move.
What are some character traits about Melinda in speak?
Speak Character List
- Melinda Sordino. Melinda is the protagonist of Speak. ...
- Andy Evans. Also known as IT or Andy Beast to Melinda, Andy is the primary antagonist in Speak. ...
- David Petrakis. David is Melinda’s lab partner in biology class. ...
- Heather. Heather is Melinda’s first friend in the ninth grade. ...
- Mr. Freeman. ...
- Rachel. ...
- Melinda’s Mother. ...
- Melinda’s Father. ...
- Mr. ...
- Ivy. ...
What does Melinda learn in speak?
Melinda Sordino
- Under Pressure. Put enough pressure on a character and all the strengths and weakness come tumbling out. ...
- Melinda and the Talk Shows. Who better to ask for help on learning to talk than from the professionals? ...
- Keeping Quiet, Speaking Up. Melinda's reasons for not talking about being raped aren't a hundred percent clear – to us or to Melinda.
What is the lesson learned in Speak?
Because no one knows what really happened to her, everyone makes ostracizes her, even her friends, making her a social outcast. She learns that she must speak about what happened, so people can sympathise with her. From this book, you can learn that you must not run away from your fears, but be strong and face them.
What does Melinda learn on her journey in the novel?
First, Melinda finally tells someone she was raped, a notable moment in her long journey from silence to finding her voice. While Rachel rejects Melinda's revelation as a lie, Melinda still benefits from the act of speaking up.
Why is Melinda important in Speak?
Melinda is the young star of Speak. Since she's also the narrator, everything we learn about the other characters is filtered through her. Melinda is very perceptive and bright, but her vision is sometimes clouded by her suffering.
What is the message in Speak?
Theme of "Speak" Melinda was raped at the party by a boy named Andy Evans. After the rape, Melinda is unable to speak about what happened to her and quits speaking altogether. Rape and the consequences for the victim is the main theme, along with losing one's voice and the tremendous courage it takes to find it again.
How does Melinda grow throughout speak?
Melinda's introspection and dedication to her art allow her to grow and eventually see herself as a survivor rather than a victim. She learns that the only way to counter evil is to speak out against it.
What steps has Melinda taken to improve her life?
What steps has Melinda taken to improve her life? Melinda has started sticking up for herself and she is also trying to be more social with others.
What kind of character is Melinda?
intelligent, artistic, and reserved. Melinda can be quite witty and eloquent in her own head, but now has trouble expressing herself to others. Instead, she uses sarcasm, nicknames, and nail-biting to distance herself from the pain she feels.
What happens to Melinda at the end of speak?
For example, at the end of Speak, Melinda finally draws a tree that expresses her emotions. At the very, very end, Melinda is about to tell Mr. Freeman, her art teacher, her story.
Why is Melinda a dynamic character?
Melinda can be classified as both a round and dynamic character. A round character is classified as a character with varying emotions and feelings— someone whom the audience can understand and hear the internal thoughts of. Melinda certainly fits this description.
What do Melinda's lips symbolize in speak?
For much of the story, Melinda's lips are described as cracked, swollen and dry. The ugliness of her mouth represents the ugliness and shame she feels inside as well as her inability to take care of herself. Later, as Melinda begins to heal and learns to speak about the rape, the condition of her lips improves.
What does Melinda's tree symbolize?
Near the beginning of the novel, Melinda is assigned a tree as her yearlong assignment in art class. As the narrative progresses, Melinda's attempts to draw a tree come to symbolize her ability to move past her rape, and to mature as a person.
Is speak based on a true story?
SPEAK is NOT a memoir. SPEAK is a work of fiction. However, the kind, positive influence that Mr. Freeman has is very much like the kind, positive influence Mr.
What new information is revealed about Melinda's past?
What new info is revealed about Melinda's past? That Melinda called the cops at a party over summer and was pointed out in front of a whole group of people.
What habit has Melinda developed recently?
8. Melinda has developed the nervous habit of biting her . 10.
How does Melinda's tree art progress throughout the novel?
Melinda's final tree art is symmetrical, the bark is rough, but there is new growth. This represents Melinda's life because she is finally back to being okay again and although her skin is rough, her new growth has come out and she is now standing tall again.
Where does Melinda's growth begin?
By the novel's end, Melinda has begun to come out of her shell, opening up to her art teacher and to her former friend, Ivy. Her growth reaches its peak when she fights off Andy Evans as he attempts to rape her a second time, and subsequently finishes the drawing of a tree that she has been working on all year.
How does Melinda grow in speak?
Melinda, a high school freshman, is the protagonist in Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. The summer before starting high school, she was raped by a senior student, Andy Evans. Melinda’s introspection and dedication to her art allow her to grow and eventually see herself as a survivor rather than a victim.
What does Melinda like in the book speak?
Melinda is very perceptive and bright, but her vision is sometimes clouded by her suffering. She’s only fourteen-years-old, and she’s dealing with one of the worst things that can happen to a person: rape. High school senior Andy Evans rapes Melinda at the end-of-summer party just before Melinda starts 9th grade.
Why is Melinda depressed in the book speak?
Due to her trauma and inability to tell anyone about what happened, Melinda spirals into a dark depression; loses her ability to speak with ease; and can express her pain only through physical acts, such as biting her lips and nails.
What is Melinda afraid of?
Melinda fears her attacker, Andy Evans, and goes to extreme lengths to avoid him at all costs. Melinda also fears publicly discussing her traumatic experience, so she attempts to suppress her negative emotions.
What is the main theme of speak?
One theme of Speak is finding one’s voice. Another theme in the novel is identity. The story can also be viewed as speaking out against violence and victimization. Melinda feels guilty, even though she was a victim of sexual assault.
What does the mirror represent in speak?
Mirrors are often used in literature to symbolize the truth about something because a reflection can not be changed. In the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, mirrors show up throughout the novel to represent the truth about Melinda’s secret, and frustration towards herself.
What the tree of life represents?
A symbol of personal growth, strength and beauty The Tree of Life symbol represents our personal development, uniqueness and individual beauty. Just as the branches of a tree strengthen and grow upwards to the sky, we too grow stronger, striving for greater knowledge, wisdom and new experiences as we move through life.
What does Melinda's mother react to?
Rather than attempting to understand and connect with Melinda, her mother instead reacts with frustration and anger.
What chapter does Melinda miss the bus?
Afterwards, however, she writes a runaway note and goes to sleep in her bedroom closet.... (full context) Part 3, Chapter 2: Cold Weather and Buses. Melinda misses her bus because of the winter darkness, but her mother refuses to drive her to school, telling her to walk through the snow instead.
What does Melinda find out when she enters Effert's?
Melinda enters Effert’s, only to find that her mother is on the phone. She grabs a pair of jeans and begins to lament the... (full context) ...hers has been “burned off,” or torn off by the “thornbushes” that are her fighting parents, the horrible Rachel, her repressive school, and the faithless Heather.
What chapter does Melinda's mother tell her about Christmas?
Part 2, Chapter 11: Winter Break. With both her parents at work, school out, and two days till Christmas, Melinda’s mother tells her (via note)... (full context) Melinda speculates that if she hadn’t been born, her parents would probably be divorced by now.
What does the colored dots mean in "Speak"?
The timeline below shows where the character Melinda’s mother appears in Speak. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance . Melinda begins to discuss her home life, which mainly involves avoiding her parents and ordering takeout.
Does Melinda's mother cook a turkey?
Although she is incredibly stressed out by her job and the upcoming winter holidays, Melinda’s mother insists on cooking a turkey for Thanks giving (despite the fact that this has led to... (full context) ...as the turkey floats in the sink in a bath of warm water, and Melinda’s mother deals with a crisis at work.
How old is Melinda in Speak?
Melinda is very perceptive and bright, but her vision is sometimes clouded by her suffering. She's only fourteen-years-old, and she's dealing with one of the worst things that can happen to a person: rape.
Why doesn't Melinda talk about being raped?
Melinda's reasons for not talking about being raped aren't a hundred percent clear – to us or to Melinda. Her feelings are confused, but she seems to be scared and ashamed, and not even sure if it technically was a rape. She thinks maybe it was her fault.
What does Sally tell Melinda about Andy?
Sally tells Melinda it's not her fault, and that Andy needs to answer for his "attack" (76.5) on Melinda. Jerry's contributes to the discussion by telling Melinda to "Speak up" (76.6) about the rape. This scene emphasizes the way Melinda draws on everything around her to find solutions to her problems.
Who better to ask for help on learning to talk than from the professionals?
Melinda is sick and stays home from school the day after she learns that her ex-best friend, Rachel Bruin, is dating Andy . This is in spite of the fact that Melinda sent Rachel an anonymous note warning her that Andy is dangerous.
